When we married May 7, 1955, Jimmy was in the Army and could not get a furlough. That meant we did not go on a honeymoon but rather settled down to a life of him reporting for duty at Fort Eustis Virginia late every Sunday night after coming home every weekend. He promised me then that since we did not have a honeymoon, he would take me away to celebrate May 7 every year thereafter.
He did that. So, for the next for 51 years, we had a honeymoon every year. Sometimes they were weekend trips, sometimes a week long, sometimes they were in the United States, sometimes in Europe, or an island or Mexico.
But he kept that promise of a honeymoon for 51 years. When he died 18 years ago this Thursday, I felt I should keep up the tradition alone. Only, since he had been an engineer on the railroad for 40 years, I thought I would take all my “honeymoon trips” by train.
Which is exactly what led me to a wonderful, full of fun, lots of learning, incredible conversations, laughs, meeting some mighty nice people and staying in an elegant historic 19th century mansion in Petersburg, Virginia. It was a weekend that started with a great driver getting me to Metropark for my Amtrak trip, included sharing dinner and great conversations with two strangers when we all learned we shared lots of commonalities, another day shared with another 15 men doing a reenactment of a six mile march by members of the 44th and 47th regiments of the Virginia troops in the civil war, comfortable evenings surrounded by other B&B guests sipping wine and trading stories of what brought us all to Petersburg, and another day of a private tour with a historian who knows just about everything about the Civil War in general, Virginia’s role in it in particular, and has a provocative and easy to understand way of sharing so much information.
With the honeymoon coming to a close, it was back on the train for the ride home and the start of what will be a series of columns to highlight some of the highlights of a great weekend trip.
Not able to drive at night, and knowing I was coming home late, I called that great standby driver, Bill Osborne in Highlands, to arrange for transportation to and from Metropark. As dedicated and dependable as Bill is, he regretted that while he could not meet my schedule, he had a partner who could. And when Maura Richardson showed up bright and early Friday morning to get me to the train on time, I met that second driver.
I think everyone in the Bayshore and beyond should call for either Bill or Maura for rides. Both Bill and Maura not only leave plenty of time in case of traffic build-up, but they’re so dependable you don’t even think to worry for a second that they’ll be there for a late-night pick-up at the station on the way home. Besides that, they’re both great drivers! Happy to give you their phone numbers or check them out on Facebook. Don’t see how they keep their prices so low considering parkway tolls and fuel prices, but they’re a bargain!
Amtrak is so easy, comfortable and convenient leaving from Metropark, the Iselin NJ station heading south. Traveling through New Jersey, Philadelphia, Delaware, Maryland and Washington before hitting Virginia, and my destination about half an hour past Richmond takes about six and a half hours of comfort and on time performance. A dining car in the middle of the train is amply supplied with both hot and cold snacks, appetizers, or full meals, plenty of liquid refreshments of all kinds, and friendly staff that really like their jobs and the people they serve. Traveling on Northeast Regional train 185 terminates in Norfolk, so there’s no need to change in Washington, though other south bound trains can get you to the Richmond area as well, simply by switching at Union Station in Washington.
Once in Petersburg, it was the gracious owner of the Ragland Mansion who met me for the five minute drive to her magnificent 19th century B&B, showed me through some of the beautifully furnished public rooms, pointed out the coffee, teas, and hot chocolate always available and showed me to my room, the former first floor library, now a beautifully decorated and comfortable private room and bath with a huge four poster bed, great décor including live plants, and solid comfort.
But that’s a story for tomorrow…
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